


A Letter Home

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 13:25:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15389697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Not long after settling in Cascade, Megan sends a letter home.





	A Letter Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 Sentinel bingo prompt Outsider POV

A Letter Home

by Bluewolf

Dear Dad,

Sorry I've been out of touch for so long. It's just the way things have happened - and I'm sure you never expected to get a letter from me sent from America! But it's because I was following up a case.

You know how much hassle I had with Scott Brunell after he was responsible for those deaths when he hit that payroll truck. Then he disappeared. When I found out that he had headed for America, I immediately began looking for a way to follow him. Because the one thing I was sure of was that he hadn't gone there for a vacation.

I found a way when I heard of the officer exchange program - and by sheer good luck, there was a vacancy on it for Cascade in Washington State - the place my enquiries told me Brunell had gone.

My first encounter with the department I would be working with came at the airport when I met three of the men from the unit - the Captain, one of the detectives, and a young-looking, long-haired man I thought at first worked Narcotics - I mean, who in a police department would have long hair except someone who might be called on at any time to go undercover? But Sandy actually identified himself as a civilian consultant working in Major Crime.

Captain Banks and Sandy - well, his name's Sandburg - seemed nice; I wasn't so sure about Detective Ellison, especially when I heard him referring to me as 'a female Crocodile Dundee out to bust beer-soaked kangaroos'.

I didn't grow up as the only girl in our otherwise all-male family in a small town where fully three-quarters of the population are male, without learning how to respond to insults. "The only crocs I've seen are at the Sydney Zoo and the roos I know prefer vodka," I said, and didn't even miss a beat.

Ellison looked slightly stunned - it was clear he hadn't expected me to answer back. But I knew I had to establish myself right from the start as someone who wasn't a pushover, as someone who could stand up for myself.

Almost immediately I got caught up in a car chase. Some kind of armored car heist. I... appropriated, I suppose would be the best word - a taxi, hauled Sandy into it since Ellison and Banks had left him behind too and - although the taxi was wrecked - we stopped the drongos we were chasing.

Actually, though, Banks really spit the dummy about it - said I didn't have the proper credentials yet. I'd guess he just wasn't best pleased that it wasn't him and Ellison that stopped the criminals.

Anyway, later we ended up catching Brunell - and not only had he had really ambitious plans, he showed what a mongrel he was when he scarpered, leaving his mates behind - and taking three sets of engraving plates from a Mint with him – for 20, 50 and 100 dollars.

But we got him! Though I'd guess there'll be quite a bit of arguing who over who gets to prosecute him.

Soon after that, we were told that Bob Lawers, the bloke who'd gone to Sydney on the exchange, had applied to stay there - and that gave me the chance to stay in Cascade.

Well, I like the blokes in Major Crime, even Ellison, and I found I've a good mate here in Sandy, so I decided I would stay. But I'll come home on holiday, Dad, I promise!

And 'cos I know you'll want to know -

Banks has turned out to be a better boss than I'd expected, after the way he carried on the day I got here. I think his nose was just put a bit out of joint by the crooks being stopped by a civilian and a newly-arrived exchange officer. He's certainly a much better boss than Vickers, back in Sydney!

Sandy - like I said, he's a good mate. He's given me a lot of help settling in. I thought at first that he and Ellison were an item - they share a flat - but it turns out that Sandy just rented a room from Jim after the place where he was living was burned down.

Ellison - Jim - there's something strange about him. I think he's psychic - I know that sounds odd, but he seems to know things nobody should know, and he's usually right. Anyway, I didn't think I'd like him – at first he seemed racist and misogynist with his cracks about 'female Crocodile Dundee', but he's really quite nice. I think maybe he's covering up some pretty low self-esteem.

Weird thing is, although Sandy's a consultant, he seems to work with Jim about 95% of the time when he's here. He works at Rainier University too, teaching. Apparently he started off as a ride-along about three years ago. Ride-alongs are only for ninety days, and he's still here. But not even Joel (see below) can tell me why, and why he changed from being an observer to a consultant.

Joel. Joel Taggart. He's the one I usually work with. He used to be in the bomb squad - yes, Cascade has a bomb squad, though it's quite small - but after a close call he lost his nerve and moved into Major Crime. Everyone likes him. He seems to be the only one in the squad that's married. In a way I almost envy his wife - and you know how I've always felt about getting married!

Henri Brown. He's something of a joker, but his sense of humor is abysmal. Want to hear bad puns, just go to H. But he's nice, and a pretty good detective.

His partner is Rafe. Everyone calls him that - so far I haven't discovered what his first name is. I don't think anyone actually knows - whatever it is, he seems to prefer being called just 'Rafe'. He's a real fashion plate. Where H wears casual clothes, bright shirts, and doesn't in the least look like a cop, you never see Rafe but he's dressed as if he's about to go to some formal do. Dunno if he ever relaxes. But like H, he's good at what he does.

They're the top teams in Major Crime. There are two or three others, but I haven't had the chance to get to know them yet.

I do like it here, Dad. Oh, I miss you and Tom and Dave - and like I said, I will visit - but... well, I have my own life to live. And the blokes here accept me in a way the ones in Sydney never did.

Look after yourself, Dad. And love to you all.

Meg.

 


End file.
